


Remain calm

by Yellowbirdbluetoo



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Max's pov mostly, Their all teenagers, high school au kinda - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 07:08:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10894272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yellowbirdbluetoo/pseuds/Yellowbirdbluetoo
Summary: Maxwell 'Max' Laurens is your average depressed teenager dealing with social anxiety, who just so happens to foster with his old camp counselor.If he can go through all that high school can't be that hard right?Wrong.





	1. The first day

The beeping of his alarm clock woke him up early Monday morning and he opened his bleary eyes, rubbing them sleepily. 

He sat up, fumbling blindly for his alarm and hitting the snooze button. He flopped back down on his bed, pulling the blankets over his head. 

'Just five more minutes'. He thought. 

"Max? Come on bud, it's your first day of school. Aren't you excited?". Davids voice cheerfully floats through his door. 

"I'd be more excited to jump off a bridge". He mutters. 

David knocks on his door. "Come on Max. You don't wanna be late!".

Max groans but sits up again, his hair sticking out at odd angles and his breath probably smells like death. 

He gets out of bed, showers, and dresses, taking time to make sure his hair isn't as unruly as it had been this morning. He brushes his teeth, washes his face, and grabs his backpack, an old ragged thing from his parents that he refuses to give up. 

He checks himself in the mirror one last time. Same blue hoodie. Check. 

Same old faded black jeans. Check. 

Same grey sneakers. Check. 

Just him, same old Max. 

Before he can dwindle on how he's barely changed in the last few years of his life, David is knocking on his door and entering before he can say anything. 

"Oh Max you look just plain spiffy". That weird way David spoke as if he was still halfway stuck in the 80's. "You'll be fine, now we better go you don't wanna miss anything exciting". David compliments him and he rolls his eyes, feeling bashful. 

"It's fucking school David, I've seen more exciting snails". 

"Sure". David says, ignoring his usual 'language' reminder. "But you have to be a little excited. Just the tiniest, weeniest bit excited to make some friends and get out the house".

Max shrugs. Sure being stuck in the house all summer with. Itching to do could be boring but he had his phone. And laptop. And TV. And sometimes he'd play some racing game on David's game system and they'd get kinda competitive. (Last time he'd launched the controller at the TV accidentally). 

"I guess". He says, pointedly not looking at David.

"I knew it!". 

-|-

They pull up infront of the school half an hour later after Max begrudgingly let David snap one photo of him("Its for the memories Max, please") of his first day of school.

"You ready?". David asks, a smile on his face and Max shrugs once again because if he thinks about it too much he'll get nervous. 

All these new people, in a new place. 

He'd be lucky if he didn't have a panic attack.

David put a hand on his shoulder and he realized he had semi-dissociated and his heart had started beating faster. 

"Are you okay. If you want we can come back tomorrow and you can start then. I don't wanna push you to do something you don't want. You can relax at the house I mean this was kinda spring in you I don't want you to have to. I don't wanna pressure you-".

"David". Max interrupts his nervous chatter. "It's fine. I'm fine. I can handle it". He says trying to keep his voice calm. 

David smiles, some of the concern leaving his face. "Alrighty then. Have a good day at school".'

Max gives him a smile, and even though its small David's smile grows as he exits the car. 

He watched David drive off first before looking up at the ginormous high school. 

'Here goes nothing'.


	2. More of the first day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max deals with high school, where even the most sarcastic, narcissistic, asshole has to make some friends right?
> 
> Maybe making old friends would be more accurate?

"Locker 3209...". Max mumbled to himself. He searched along the seemingly infinite rows baby blue lockers. 

"Oof!" Max is on the ground, holding a hand against his now pounding head. His paper falls to the ground and he hears books clatter down near him. 

"O-oh my gosh. I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going". A voice says and Max reopens his eyes. His hands move to grab his papers, and he stands to find a teen in the ground infront of him, hurriedly picking up his books. 

"It's cool man, I wasn't paying attention anyway". Max kneels down to help pick up the books. "Say you wouldn't know where locker 3209 is would you?".

Then Max finally looks up. He may be taller, and his hair is definitely shorter(for some reason it's darker than it was last year) and he's wearing a whole new outfit(black shirt, blue jeans, and a long white jacket that look like it was supposed to be a lab coat judging by the amount of pockets) but Max can still recognize the face. 

"Neil?!". 

Neil studies him for a minute before his eyes widen. "Max?".

He replaces his surprised face with a smirk. "In the flesh. But what the hell are you doing here? West Oaks isn't exactly where I thought you'd end up. I was thinking more of a super nerdy science school".

Neil rolls his eyes. "I wish. I can't start serious science college classes until I pass high school. I'm excelling in science but I still have to wait". 

"But what are you doing here?". Neil asks him, a curious smile on his face. 'Damn it'. 

"Uh". Max fumbles with his words. "Moved here a year ago and I'm just here for high school. Not much to it".

There's an awkward pause for a moment before Neil speaks up. "Well I do know where to find your locker. It's right next to mine, number 3208".

Max nudges him in the arm. "Well at least that's out of the way, now come on. I don't wanna be too late for class". And they start walking down the hall together.

-|-

"You know Nikki's here too right?". Neil says as the two travel to the lunchroom.

"Wait, really? How do you know?". Max says, grabbing a try and holding it out as a cafeteria lady dropped what he could only describe as mystery meat.

"Lesson learned. From now on pack lunch".'he said to himself, following Neil to a table.

"But yeah, Nikki's here. We haven't talked I don't think she's noticed me but I've seen her. She's captain of pretty much every sport here".

"Football, basketball, soccer, and tennis which is surprising since I assumed Nikki wasn't a tennis person, it's not the most athletic sport".

They had sat at a table with what had to be Neil's friends as he turned away to talk to them, and left Max to scan the lunchroom, looking to see if he could spot Nikki.

Neil had changed a lot since camp. He hadn't even recognized him until he saw his face. Did that mean Nikki changed too? She was always adventurous, and energetic, so her taking up multiple sports was believable. But what if she'd changed more then Neil had. Neil even said she didn't know he was there at the same school as her. Maybe she wouldn't wanna be friends with them at all.

"So how have things been since camp Max. We literally haven't spoke to each other in years". Neil says, turning back to Max.

"Max thought about what to say. 'Well my parents died, and now I'm in foster care with someone I literally tried to torment when I was ten but now I've learned he's not that bad and along with my crippling anxiety and depression I'd say I'm doing just fine'.

Yeah definitely not

He goes for his automatic response to questions he dosen't know the answer to. "Y'know. School. I'm not much of a sports guy". Sure he watched sports(favorite team was the Manchester Falcons!) but he didn't think he'd ever play one.

"I'm not a brain like you. All science and chemistry". Neil raised an eyebrow in his defense. "Don't act like you aren't. You literally stayed up a whole night trying to figure out how Preston did some magic trick".

Neil cheecks turned slightly pink as he moved his eyes from Max. "I-its totally justified. There's no way that trick could work".

"Yeah yeah Einstein. Magic isn't science and blah blah blah". Max waves him off. Neil huffs and rolls his eyes, no real heat behind the action and Max realizes he'd miss talking to Neil.

Sure he was a geek, but he was good at talking and could take his rude remarks in stride. 

He hand had a friend-friend in a while. Ever since he moved. The bell ring and they dumped their trash and went their separate ways to classes


	3. The end of the first day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neil learns about Max's foster parent. It's hilarious.

"So how was your first day?". Neil asked when he caught up with Max, the two walking out of the school. 

Max rolled his eyes. "You sound like my Dad". He says, then falters because when he says it he's not imagined his Dad. 

He's imagining David. 

David who's he's lived with for more than a couples years now. David who hasn't done anything bad to him. David who cooks dinner usually every night. David who buys him new clothes(he insists on dark clothes nothing fancy but still). David who hasn't hurt him like...

Whatever. It dosen't matter. 

"Max?". Neil's voice breaks through to him and he realizes he's stopped walking. He moves, catching up with Neil. 

"You alright?". 

Max nods. He's never been alright. Never been close to fine. But he lies anyways. "I'm all good. But seriously you sound like some nosy adult".

Neil crosses his arms, backpack moving slightly as he straightens. "Max how was school today, make any new friends?". He says in a ridiculous voice that Max can only assume is supposed to be someone's mother. 

Max snorts, covering his mouth and Neil's smile grows. 'He looks so cute when he laughs'. The thought filters through Neil's mind for a nanosecond. 'Oh my god what the fuck was that about?' 

Before he can linger in the thought, Max shoves him gently. "Haha mom". A car pulls up beside them, the front window rolling down. 

"Neil? Aww it's great to see you. How've you been. I'm sure your parents are doing well? Last I heard they'd won an award for some new science thing. Very impressive". David says and Max is holding his breath. 

How would Neil react to his situation? Would he demand to know where his parents were? What had happened to them?

"Dude why is David here?". Neil leans down and whispers into his ear and Max holds down a laugh because Neil sounds seriously weirded out. 

"You already know David. He's my foster guy". Max says lamely, the word 'dad' or 'father' not feeling right to roll off his tongue. 

Neil's face is blank for a second, before he bursts out laughing. "Oh... my...god". He says between laughs. "He's your foster dad? Oh dude". 

He's out of breath and Max just stands there, a half hearted glare on his face. David is smiling(though when does he ever not smile?). 

"I'm sorry dude but that's just hilarious. Plain old karma. I mean what are the odds?".

His laughter had died down and Max rolls his eyes again, for what he's sure is the one hundred time in the last five minutes. 

"Come on Max. We have to get home so I can start dinner. Hopefully you'll be able to come over one day soon Neil?". David says, busying himself with digging through his bag, looking for lord knows what. 

"Sure. I'd have to ask my parents. But I sure they'll say yes". Neil shrugs, his laughter long since gone and replaced with a small smile that was making Max feel warm inside for reasons he didn't understand. 

"I'll see you later dude". Max says getting in the car. He waved and the car pulls off out of the school parking lot. 

-|-

"Sooooo... how was your first day?". David says, seeming somehow more excited than Max had been in his life. 

He shrugged. "It was alright. I met Neil. Nothing insanely bad happened. Just a regular day".

David smiles, not pushing for more. 

Max sighs, an unknown feeling in his gut as he stares out the window.


	4. Home away from home(in a manner of speaking)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max takes solace in the pool.

Max sighs as he floats in the pool. 

Their apartment isn't the biggest but it's nice. Two bedrooms, a small kitchen and living room. 

The pool that was in the main area with the laundry and mail room, was only five feet deep but that was enough. 

He'd known how to swim since he was about six, and floating in the pool usually melted away his stress. 

But today something felt off. His stress had mostly left but there was this weird feeling he couldn't quite place.

He sat up, looking at his reflection he notes the bags under his eyes that have been gathering there

He climbed out of the water, sitting down on the side of the pool. Water dropped out of his hair and he sighed, and wrung it out, the water splashing in the ground.

He stood, grabbing his towel and preparing to go back inside. 

"Cannonball!".

Max gets splashed with enough water to render him nearly soaked again. He growled and dropped his towel. He turned back to the pool to find out who had splashed him. Nikki? "Nikki?".


End file.
